John c



(No Model.)

J. C. GUNN.

MAIL BAG.

Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

N. PETERS. mwmhmph. wuhingum. :LcV

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JOHN C. GUNN, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMASEGAN, OF SAME PLAGE.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,965, datedSeptember 14, 1836,

Application filed May 24, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN C. GUNN, a citizen ofthe United States, residingat Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bags, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mail bags or pouches; and itconsists 0f the peculiar combination and novel construction andarrangement of the various parts for service, substantially ashereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my present invention is to provide a mailbag with improvedmeans for effectually excluding water, dirt, and other foreign matterfrom the bag when the mouth'of the latter is closed, to provide meanswhereby one or more locks may be employed to effectually secure themouth of the bag together and prevent any ill-disposed person fromsurreptitiously forcing the bag open, and to improve the bag in minordetails of construction so that it will be simple and strong, as well asdurable, easily and readily operated, and comparatively cheap ofmanufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a mail bag or pouchembodying my invention, Figure l is a perspective view ofthe device inits closed position. Fig. 2 is a like view of the device in its openposition. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the mouth ofthebag or pouch on line v a'of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view oftwo of the hinged plates for the mouth of the bag; and Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view through the plates shown in Fig. 4, fitted orconnected together.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorresponding parts in all the igures, A designates the bag or pouch,which is of the ordinary well-known class, and B the hinged plates,which are arranged at the open end or mouth of the bag and are adaptedto be fitted snugly together to effectually close the mouth of the pouchand prevent the admission of water, dirt, and other foreign matterthereto.

In the accompanying drawings,lhave shown 5o a series of four plates,which are numbered from l Ito 4, inclusive; but it will be un- SerialNo. 203,139. (No model.)

derstood that I do not confine myself to the use of any particularnumber, as they can be varied to suit bags of different sizes.

The plates num bercd l and 2 are arranged on one side ot' the bag, andthe remaining plates, 3 and 4, are located on theopposite sides of thebag, and when the mouth of the bag is closed the plates 1 and 3 and 2and 4 come or abut together to securely close the mouth of the bag. Theplates l and 2 are each provided on their upper edges withinwardlyextending ribs or flanges C, which are formed integral or in onepiece therewith, and the plates 3 and 4 are also provided withinwardlyprojecting iianges D, which are similar to the ianges C, but arearranged at the lower edges of the plates 3 and 4, by which they arecarried as clearly shown in the detail views Figs. 4 and 5. Vhen theplates come together in the manner above described, the flanges C t orproject over the upper free edges of the plates 3 and 4, and the ilangesD project beneath the lower edges of the plates l and 2, and by thispeculiar construction and arrangement of the various parts all water anddirt are effectually excluded from the bag when the latter is closed,and a compartment .or space, E, is provided between the plates B, as isobvious. The upper edges of open mouth ofthe bag A are fitted againstthe outer faces of the plates B, and the plates are permanently attachedto the bag or pouch by means of rivets or other like suitable fasteningdevices,F. The

inner surfaces of the plates B are further provided with an elasticpacking, G, which is suitably secured thereto by means of the samerivets that secure the plates B and the upper edges ot' the bag or pouchtogether. This packing maybe of rubber, leather, or other like suitablematerial, and when the mouth of the bag is closed the plates are littedtogether, and the resilient packing entirely fills and closes the spaceE between said plates, and thereby aids in excluding water and dirt fromthe main compartment'of the pouch, as will be very readily understood.

The sections 1 and 3 and 2 and 4 are hinged or pivotally connectedtogether, so that the mouth of the bag or pouch can easily and readilycollapse or close together, and the other ends of the said plates arehinged or ICO pivoted to plates II and I, which are arranged opposite toeach other and rigidly secured to the upper' ends of the bag by rivetsor other like means. rPhe plate II has the ends ofthe sections or platesl and 2 pivotally connected thereto, and the plate I has the ends of thesections 3 and 4 connected therewith in like manner. The plate II isprovided at its upper edge with an integral rib or ilange, J, whichextends therefrom at right angles, and fits or lies over the upper edgeof the plate I when the bag is closed together; and the plate H isfurther provided with an inwardlyprojecting lug or staple, K, which isprovided with an opening, 7.', and a notch in its upper edge, whichprovides a shoulder, 7i", into which fits a bolt of a lock, L, that iscarried by the plate I. The lock is ol' the ordinary or any preferredform, and it is concealed within or by the plate I, and the said plateis provided with a slot, Z, through which the staple passes, the eye ofthe staple or lug projecting or extending beyond the outer face of theplate I, so as to permita padlock, M, of any preferred form to beconnected therewith and afford greater security against robbery. Thelock L and the padlock M may be opened by one and the saine key, or theymay be opened by different keys, as is obvious.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

It will be seen that I provide simple and durable means for effectuallyexcluding water and other matter from the open month of the bag; thatthe free edges ofthe plates are pro teeted from injury; that greatersecurity is insured by the use of the two locks, which are arranged in avery convenient and compact manner, and that the various parts are verystrong and cheap.

Slight changes in the form and proportion of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isu

1. The combination, with a mail bag or pouch, of the pivoted or hingedplates l and 2, provided with the inwardly-extended llanges C at theirupper edges, and the plates 3 and 4, arranged opposite the plates l and2, and provided at their lower edges with the inwardly projectingflanges D, said ilanges G D fitting over and beneath the free edges ofthe pivoted or hinged plates, to form a closed space or chamberintermediate of the plates, substantially as. described.

2. The combi nation,with a mail bag or pouch, of the hinged platesprovided with the extended ilanges C I), arranged, as described, to fitover and beneath the free edges of the plates, and the packing securedto the plates,' within the flanges thereof, to completely fill the spaceor chamber formed by the plates, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the plates or sections B, flexibly connectedtogether and having the

